Asheville, NC – As North Carolina braces for the first snow of the season, particularly along I-40 in the mountains, drivers are being reminded to prepare for early winter weather and sudden cold snaps. But imagine being trapped in your car for two months, surviving only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man was discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his vehicle became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he lived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts described his survival as “unbelievable.” Some believe his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which trapped enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers reached him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books nearby. Doctors at Umea University Hospital said he was suffering from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but alive against all odds.
With early snow expected in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont before Thanksgiving, North Carolina emergency officials are urging drivers to pack cold-weather kits that include blankets, snacks, and water. As the state sees its first real taste of winter, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck on I-40 for two months like he did?
